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A Look at What Is Left

For equality, progress, reason and international law. But what about the practical details?

By

David Frum

Updated Feb. 9, 2009 12:01 a.m. ET

Somebody seriously mistitled this book. About liberalism's past, Alan Wolfe has a great deal to say. About the evils and deficiencies of conservatism too. But he does not get around to addressing his stated topic -- liberalism's future -- until about half-way down the second-to-last page of his book. Here is what he has to say then: "The challenge facing liberalism in the future, then, is not to beat out its rivals; . . . it has already done that. Its biggest challenge is to get liberals to once again believe in liberalism."